Not Like This
by pesi
Summary: The CSI's day starts off well until a suspect returns and Catherine and Sara find themselves been chased around Vegas and as the others try to help they only put themselves in danger. Cath Sara friendship
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: if it were mine wouldn't need to write fanfiction! Summery: this wasn't how it was supposed to end, if I did something different, something faster, better it wouldn't be like this…… A/N takes place somewhere in season 6 before Grissom and Sara got together 

This wasn't how the day was supposed to end not like this, it was supposed to end with a party not the way it was going, not with a funeral. Catherine clung tightly on as the red liquid pooled through her fingers running over her hands. Her breathing was fast and shallow, sweet lined her forehead and her whole body seemed to ache especially her jaw.

Thursday 6pm 

"So is she excited?" asked Nick almost bouncing into the break room.

"Well not as excited as you Nick" mocked Cath

"Well twelve is a big number," countered Nick waving a large box wrapped in colourful paper around in Catherine's face.

"Let me guess you got her a chemistry set" smiled Cath taking the box from Nick

"No" replied Nick with a smug grin, "actually it's a portable DVD player"

"A what?" said Catherine mouth hanging open

"We all went in on it this year less presents but better than six chemistry sets, Sara suggested it" said Nick pointing behind him to Sara who had just walked into the room looking rather like a zombie.

"What can I say the feeling moved me?" said Sara with a lopsided smile

"Sara it's not fancy dress, so coming as the living dead" started Cath

"Funny" replied Sara sitting down and laying her head on the table. She had just come back form a double as Ecklie had called her in after giving her a 'for the good of the lab' speech.

"Serisouly she's going to love it. She's not going to shut up about it," said Catherine before Warrick interrupted

"So are we invited to he party?" he asked

"Oh so you just got this to be invited to he party" smiled Cath

"Are you kidding ice cream lots of small girls screaming…..bouncy castle of course" grinned Greg looking up from over the magazine he was reading.

"Well since you lot have been on at me all week" started Catherine before Warrick interrupted again

"Lindsey made you"

"Yes," replied Cath defeated "it's straight after shift but if anyone smells of decomp their not coming in"

"Here that Greg your going to have to wash" mumbled Sara head still buried in the table.

"Is she opening her presents without you?" asked Nick sitting down

"She said she'll wait but probably not" smiled Cath "oh great here comes Ecklie" she added

"Well good luck I'm due in court bye" smiled Warrick making a hasty retreat

"And me and Greg have our homicide come on Greggo" said Nick dragging Greg from his seat. It was amazing how quickly Ecklie could clear a room.

"Willow's, Sidle DB address is on the map," said Ecklie breezing in and taking Sara's dishevelled appearance for a second "Sidle when your at work you should at least look like a professional" remarked Ecklie before leaving.

Cath now knew how tired Sara was she didn't' shout but only moved to put her middle finger up at Ecklie as he walked off.

"Come on I'll buy you a coffee on the way or possibly a valium" smiled Cath picking the sheet up "oh you have got to be kidding it's in the damn middle of no where" she shouted as Sara got up.

"Would you like a valium too?" asked Sara sleepily

"No but I think chocolate may be required" said Cath as they walked along the corridor.

"Sidle you forget something" shouted Hodges at they walked by the lab.

"No" said Sara looking confused

"Phone, you left it here switched on so the batteries dead" he added waving it

"Then what are you telling me for it's no use" said Sara angrily

"She hasn't slept," mouthed Cath at Archie who had a slight grin at the way Sara was talking to Hodges.

"She can still see," said Sara walking by Catherine and straight into the lab door. Her brain saw the door coming but it forgot to tell her arm to open in so she walked straight into it bouncing off slightly, much to the amusement of Hodges and a slight grunt form Catherine.

"Defiantly some coffee" smiled Cath opening the door for Sara.

TBC ………. the next chapter will be longer this was just a introduction


	2. Chapter 2

Catherine smiled to herself as she drove along the deserted highway. Sara's head was lent against he window rocking with the movement of the car; she looked peaceful lent against the glass her pale skin glowing slightly in the moonlight. Catherine took in the younger woman's appearance and found herself turning into her mother wondering if she was eating properly and sleeping. Well she wasn't sleeping properly but that was a hazard of the job. Sometimes Cath wondered if Sara slept at all lately especially she always seemed to be at work. It suddenly occurred to Catherine that Lindsey's party would be the first time she had seen Sara out of work for a long time, Short of when she took Sara for a beer after the Hank incident. The two women got on reasonably well but weren't best friends Catherine wasn't sure why they had the same sort of personalities but they always seemed to clash.

"Stop staring" muttered Sara making Cath physically jump.

"I thought you were asleep"

"And that made it ok to stare?" asked Sara sitting up properly and yawning

"I was just thinking," replied Cath

"About how you could get me out the car with out waking me and drive off?"

"Well it won't work now your awake" smiled Cath she then gestured towards the glove compartment "there's a coffee in there, well there was it might have spilt by now and some chocolate" she added holding her hand out

"I take it the chocolate's for you" remarked Sara taking out the coffee cup and sipping at the bit that had come up onto the lip.

"If you don't want to listen to me moan about how damn remote this scene is the chocolates for me"

"Take it, take it" shouted Sara thrusting the chocolate into Cath's hand as she laughed at her.

"Are we nearly there yet?" asked Sara

"You sound like a small child, according to the map were nearly there"

"But with your map reading skills we could be miles away" said Sara with a half smirk

"I think I preferred it when you were asleep. How many times have I got lost"?

"Plenty" replied Sara as Cath mouthed 'ha ha' at her

"We could play a game to pass the time"

"Oh god it's like going on a trip with Greg"

"I was been facetious," replied Cath "will you stop fidgeting we're nearly there" she said frustrated

"We better be" snapped Sara "sorry but I'm tried and hungry" Cath smiled at her

"See we're here state trouper" she smiled pulling up beside the trouper's car.

"Ladies" smiled the trouper as they got out the car

"What we got?" asked Cath walking over

"One body female. The place's been done up saw the light on and went to check it out" he said pointing inside "didn't touch anything, got to get going" he added leaving

"Well that was informative," said Sara opening the door "this is been done up?" asked Sara looking at the scene of devastation in front of her

"You've never had decorators obviously" smiled Cath. Floor boards were up, walls were half built and wire and plastic were hanging down from beams in the ceiling

"Is any of this live?" asked Sara ducking a dangling wire

"Hope not" said Cath shining her flashlight up "should all be off with the building work" she said now turning her attention to the body. A tall blonde was laid in a pool of blood on the floor. "Looks like a single shot wound," said Cath crouching down and looking at the small hole going into the woman's temple.

"ARGH" Sara's voice came out slightly chocked startling Cath as she turned in time to see Sara drop her kit and frantically pull at the red wire wrapped around her neck.

"A little help" asked Sara getting more tangled in with the wire and plastic hanging from the ceiling

"Here" Cath took a knife from her kit and cut the wire.

"Are you finished with the amateur dramatics?" asked Cath with a grin as Sara rubbed at her neck "because Lindsey would never forgive me if you didn't come to her party, for some strange reason she likes you" said Cath turning away

"Why's that strange?" asked Sara smirking

"Apparently Lindsey thinks I'm like you, Stubborn, clever. Personally I don't' see the rebalance" said Cath turning round with a smile. As she did she put her foot straight down a hole in the floorboards.

"Would Lindsey mind if you didn't come to her party?" asked Sara taking Cath's arm and helping her back out

"She probably wouldn't notice she's so exited everyone from the lab is coming she didn't' care about her friends" said Cath looking frustrated at the floor

"I think its because no one coddles her like me, you all tell her horror stories"

"I never took her to the morgue." Replied Sara as Cath raised a eyebrow at her "Grissom offered to go to a meeting with Ecklie to miss it." Said Sara changing the subject

Cath smiled at her "I can't wait to see him stood in the middle of a group of hyped up eleven and twelve year olds" smiled Cath "and the morgue was educational"

"Biology was it?" smiled Sara

"Just process" said Cath smiling "and try not to hang yourself I'd hate for you to have a accident" she said both eyebrows half way up her forehead,

"You just process over there" said Sara waving her kit at her

**TBC ……………..**


	3. Chapter 3

"Morning" came David's all to cheery voice

"Morning?" asked Catherine picking up some of the evidence bags lying around her.

"Well it is four am," said David looking at his watch

"Four am have we really been here that long?" asked Catherine looking over to Sara "Sara"

Called Catherine seeing the brunette slumped against a chair "Sara WAKE UP" shouted Catherine throwing a wad of paper at her.

"What hur?" asked Sara stretching her arms then becoming aware of where she was and turning beetroot.

"Morning" smiled David "long night?"

"Long we're not even half way through yet and if someone wasn't sleeping on the job"

"Catherine you were urm snoring when I came in" said David as Sara burst out laughing and attempted to cover it with a cough.

"I'll just get on with it," said David stepping over to the body. "Single shot small calibre"

"We've found twelve casings and …." Cath looked over to Sara

"Nineteen bullet holes on the wall" Sara finished

"Semi automatic?" suggested David as he ordered the man with him over with the gurney.

"Maybe some of the casings fell through" suggested David lifting the body up.

"You know I was afraid of that," sighed Catherine

"Bloods run under as well I guess someone's got to go and collect it," said Sara as both her and Cath stared at each other

"Toss for it?" asked Cath getting a coin out

"Tails" called Sara as Cath threw the coin in the air

"Heads yes, suit up Sara" smiled Cath as Sara scowled at her.

Five minutes later and Sara came back in wearing some blue overalls while David wheeled the body away.

"Have fun" smiled Cath as Sara went outside.

"Catherine" came a voice from the floor a few minutes later. Bending down Cath could see Sara commando crawling along in the small space between the foundations and the floorboards.

"Comfy?" asked Cath with a smile as Sara's head appeared under one of the open gaps.

"Oh yes" mocked Sara blowing bits of stray hair from her face. "There's mud, blood, spiders and dust lots of dust," said Sara as lots of grey specks fell in to her hair making the point.

"Ok so swab," said Cath handing Sara the swab through the hole awkwardly.

"I cant' see well some light might help" said Sara struggling to bend to swab the underneath of the floorboards. Cath shone her flashlight illuminating the spot where Sara was now laid on her back facing upwards.

"Hang on" Cath sprayed lumminal as little dots of pink appeared on the boards.

"Cath" cried Sara coughing and covering her face

"Oh sorry" Cath stopped forgetting that Sara was down there. Then she has an idea reaching into her kit she grabbed her bottled water.

"There's a casing over here," said Sara rolling over and crawling so she was out of the gap. Cath could still make out where she was from the blue showing through the tiny gaps.

"Got it hand me a bag" said Sara backing up and coming under an even smaller hole. From above it was comical. There was a hole no more than fifteen by ten centimetres with the side of Sara's face showing. With an evil grin Cath tipped the bottled water over Sara to a shriek

"CATH" cried Sara tying to get up and hitting her head "Ow"

"Sorry couldn't' resist" smiled Cath

"Try," said Sara sarcasm in her voice wiping the water off her face. She was now looking distinctly unhappy so Cath decided not to smirk as water ran down the side of Sara's face.

"Cath" called Sara getting her back bent over where Sara was laid. Quite to Cath's surprise something cold hit her face as Sara splashed the muddy water she was laid in at Cath

"ARGH, Sara" shouted Catherine wiping her face

"Even" replied Sara with a grin.

"Ok even. Now get out from under there," said Cath wiping her face with some tissues.

Five minutes later and Sara had managed to get out from under the floor her blue suit had turned brown with mud and dust and her hair was looking dishevelled in a halfhearted ponytail.

"Nice" smiled Cath seeing the brunette stood in the doorway amongst the hanging plastic and wires.

"Next time you're the one who has to crawl in the muck" said Sara pulling her hair down and attempting to untangle it with her fingers.

"Go get changed I think were finally finished in here" instructed Cath who was bent down labelling some evidence bags

"Oh great no we have outside to do" shouted Sara disappearing from view.

Friday 8am 

"Footprints" called Sara pointing down looking angrily at the ground. They were now stood outside the house, that seemed to be positioned in the middle of no where.

"Great at this rate I'll be late to Lindsey's party" sighed Cath looking at the sets of prints disappearing into the distance as Sara photographed them "they can't have got on with the neighbours" added Cath looking around frustrated at the emptiness surrounding them.

"Looks like were going for a walk," sighed Sara taking her vest of and flapping her arms slightly in the heat.

The sun was now up ands it was getting unpleasantly hot.

"Great now I'm going to be late and sweaty," moaned Cath at Sara who was smiling at her

"You've still got eight hours. At least you won't smell like decomp"

"The way this days going there's probably one on the end of the trail" sighed Cath as they set off been lead way from the house

"Looks like one of them was running," said Sara crouching down and examining the footprint. It was deeper then the others set and more spaced out.

"Well whoever they were with wasn't in such a hurry"

"They weren't exactly going to get away," said Sara standing up and looking around

"No where to hide" said Cath running her hands through her hair

"So where do these go?" questioned Sara as they set off again.

"Oh my god what did they do walk forever," shouted Sara fanning her white tank top at the bottom trying to cool herself down

"Well they stopped running a long time back"

"I'm not surprised, I wouldn't be surprised if we found them both dead from exhaustion, " said Cath undoing her CSI vest and fanning it.

"Seriously why aren't you melting"? Asked Sara pushing her hair back from her face and replacing her hat

"Fitter" suggested Cath as Sara grinned looking offended

"Well I sure as hell don't' know where they were going" sighed Cath squinting unable to see the house they had left on the horizon anymore.

"They're becoming obscured," said Sara looking at a dent in the soil.

"Good there gone let's go back"

"That's very professional of you" smiled Sara

"Stick professional it's got to be triple degree's I'm going to kill Ecklie sending us out here especially if we end up with heat stroke"

"That's it Cath look on the bright side. Well maybe we could sue him if we did"

"We do know a lot of god lawyers"

"Sadly we can' afford them"

"Speak for yourself" smiled Cath "come on lets get back" she sighed starting to trudge back "Ecklie probably wouldn't care if we got sick anyway, unless we compromised the evidence"

"That's not true he cares about his car as well" smiled Sara as Cath stopped dead

"Explain"

"Long story"

"I've got a while," said Cath starting to walk again

"Remember last year he decided he was going to evaluate me"

"Oh yer. Well I remember him saying that then I remember a lot of drinking that night, the mornings a blur. Didn't' Grissom evaluate you in the end? I never found out how you got out of that" smiled Cath

"Yer well you remember he called me in on my day off to do his evaluation"

"I remember waking up to a incoherent message on my answering machine from you something about working and not enough pills" smiled Cath

"Well the last thing I needed with that hangover was Ecklie. I puked in his car on the way to the scene"

"You didn't" Cath had a huge grin on her face

"I did. He thought I was ill took me home and decided to let Grissom deal with me"

"I thought he was just avoiding you because well he was pissed at you"

"He was, mostly because of his car"

"I can't believe you went in after drinking that much! Greg ended up sleeping on my floor because he couldn't remember his address to tell the taxi" laughed Cath "I don't even know how you got home"

"Neither do I" replied Sara laughing

"We should go out again all of us this time"

"Grissom?" asked Sara

"We'll drag him" laughed Cath "oh and make sure we don't have to work the next day"

"It wasn't my fault everyone says get a life take time off then I get called in to work"

"Why didn't you just say you were sick and not go in?"

"Cath getting dressed was a challenge in the state I was in thinking of something like that was beyond me I don't even know how I walked form my apartment to Ecklie's car"

"Maybe we'll drink a little less next time," laughed Cath "you puked in his car"

"Your not getting over that anytime soon, are you?"

"I'm sorry but his face must have been priceless"

"He looked like his head was going to explode," laughed Sara "well that passed the time were back" Sara added as the house came into view

TBC ………………… please review and let me know what you think things will get interesting in the next chapter I promise, I hope

**Next time**

"**Cath" shouted Sara hearing a bang and getting ready to laugh expecting Cath to have fallen down one of the open floorboards again. She was taken by surprise when on entering she saw Catherine sprawled across the floor**


	4. Chapter 4

A blacked out SUV drove up to the house stopping around the back. If they had driven round the front they would have seen the Tahoe parked outside.

"Hurry up and get it," shouted the man sat in the drivers seat, he had a baseball bat and sunglasses on covering his features. The man getting out the passengers side looked like he could have been a bouncer, big built with a mess of jet black hair. He was wearing a blue tee shirt and jeans and didn't look out of place on the building site.

"Get the keys and we get the hell away from here" said the man in the driver seat his voice low. One hand was on the steering wheel the other was position just above a pistol. He looked over to the back seat where a rifle and two other guns were protruding from under the seat. The man left the car walking into the house with no caution he stomped around until he noticed something a silver box lay on the floor.

"SHIT" he cured realising the police were already there he heard a noise from outside and turned sharply knocking the kit over.

"Beetle" commented Sara seeing a small black insect crawling across a old bath tub "Grissom would love this" she added getting an evidence jar out

"He'll think it's his birthday," commented Cath shaking her head and going inside leaving Sara to chase the beetle with her tweezers.

As Cath walked in she swore she heard a bang but she was too late registering it. She saw the figure loom out from under the plastic and her hand instinctually went for her gun she had got it inches out her holder when a fist hit her jaw sending her off balance and her arms out to protect herself. As she did this he gun flew out her hand and slid across the floor and into one of the openings in the floor boards.

"Cath" shouted Sara hearing a bang and getting ready to laugh expecting Cath to have fallen down one of the open floorboards again. She was taken by surprise when on entering she saw Catherine sprawled across the floor and a man next to her. Before she had time to reach for her gun a fist connect with Sara's jaw sending her realing backwards. Next two strong hands grasped her left side and she was thrown towards the glass doors partitioning that room and the next. Sara was aware the glass shattered as she hit it and fell forwards rather than through it. Her head hit the wooden frame connecting painfully and sending a lightening bolt through her brain disorientating her as she fell towards the floor. Her knee hit first painfully and then the rest of her body fell onto the tiny shards of glass stinging as they cut her skin.

Catherine was all too aware of what was happening as she collected herself from the floor. She saw him swing Sara and her head hit the door, hat come flying off showing blood spilling down her forehead and check. Glass was sent flying around like deadly bits of ice. She saw Sara's body land in the middle of it. Now she was aware of the man coming at her, she went to grab her gun but found it wasn't there. She wasn't even off the floor as he dived for her. Barely able to comprehend what was going on Sara acted on instinct she was up in a second glass falling from her cutting her exposed skin as she went for her gun. The man was on Cath grabbing her shoulder and punching her again. Sara was shaking holding her gun unable to get a clear shot she screamed at the top of her lungs and kicked him in the shin half in frustration the other half trying to distract him, it worked. What Sara hadn't seen was the man grab a large piece of glass from the floor when he went for Catherine. The man hit Catherine knocking her back to the floor and spun around gabbing Sara's arm that had momentarily dropped. Her gun went off the bang echoing around the house. For one moment Cath thought one of them had been shot but the bullet had hit the floor. Sara's arm was bent back and she dropped the gun in pain, as she became his puppet. Cath watched helpless as Sara's gun was kicked away and out of anyone's reach. Getting woozily to her feet Catherine was ready to dive when he twisted Sara to face her and rammed his arm into her stomach. At first Cath thought he had punched her but as he moved his arm away red spilled out onto Sara's white tank top. A piece of glass around two inches was sticking out her side.

The pain shot through her entire body as the glass entered blinding her and leaving her unable to move or support herself. All she knew was she had to get him away, with what little strength she had left Sara pushed the man. He lost his balance on a hole in the floor and fell. Cath seizing this ran full pelt at Sara catching her as her knees gave way. Not stopping Cath began dragging Sara out the house. Sara was telling her legs to run to support her but they wouldn't they just hung useless as Cath got her outside.

"Go" mumbled Sara

"That's what we're doing" Cath instructed Sara wrapping her arm around her and dragging her towards the Tahoe. Every movement sent pain through Sara's body as she moved the glass cut deeper she could feel it moving around inside her. As Cath got to the car Sara bent over and dry heaved with the pain been sent though her.

"Ok come on Sidle" Cath flung the door open and shoved Sara in feeling guilty knowing it would hurt but staying would mean they ended up dead. The man was already up but he wasn't running after them but round the other side of the house. Cath jumped in the drivers seat and started the engine grabbing her phone.

"Cath" mumbled Sara laid across the back seat her right hand clutched next to the glass the other clenched in pain at her side. Blood was trickling down the side of her face and matting her hair.

Catherine hadn't even realised her jaw was bleeding until she went to speak

"This is Catherine Willow's urgent assistance…." Cath was cut off as a car swerved out at them and a shot was fired

"Route 6 we're taking fire" screamed Cath dropping her phone as she spun the car around hitting the gas and speeding ahead as yet another shot was fired.

"What's happening?" asked Sara her voice trembling

"They've got some sort of semi automatic," Cath shouted swerving across the road.

"They?" asked Sara trying to sit up by pulling herself on the seatbelt but failing.

**TBC …………………….**


	5. Chapter 5

The man was sat taping angrily at the steering wheel, his brother was going to get them caught. Dropping his keys was an over site but he shouldn't have taken them, he had told him repeatedly the plan they were to take nothing leave nothing.

Suddenly his brother came running around the corner with a small splatter of blood on his tee shirt

"WHAT THE HELL?" shouted the man as the car door was flung open and he got in

"DRIVE, the police were there those CSI's they saw me, I stabbed one"

"Damn" he cursed putting his foot down on the gas and swearving into the road and round the front seeing the Tahoe parked.

"Get the gun I want them dead"

"But they're police" started the man looking confused but reaching for the gun all the same

"They aren't the police they're CSI's the people who put Kevin in jail with their DNA, were going down but were going to take them with us. You promised Kevin we'd get rid of Pam and we did now were going to get rid of the scum who put him in jail" he explained as the other man nodded and fired a shot off just missing the car that was now pulling out, the next shot hit the side mirror shattering it.

"YES" the man driving took both hands off the wheel and held them up before banging them triumphantly then grabbing his phone.

"Were going to get caught," said his brother turning to the driver

"Dan I did two years for you and I got shot you promised me you would do what I said like you promised Kevin, are you going back on that now?" he asked holding his phone to his ear

"You promised mum you'd take your pills but you don't" counter the brother

"DAN" shouted the man clearly angry "mum wanted me doped up so I did what she wanted but were free aren't we and Kevin's going to be free too. Those pills are for the weak. She invented it to make me weak, there's nothing wrong with my mental heath I see everything perfectly it's everyone else who doesn't their jealous they can't see the world see what everyone's doing. Want me to be part of the machine but I don't think like everyone else." He stopped and seemed to snap back

"Now Dan you're not trying to make me weak are you?"

"No Lee" replied Dan pulling a box of ammunition out the glove compartment.

"CSI Willow's requested back up shots fired at 09:03am. She was cut off and we were unable to resume contact. It sounded like she was in a vehicle so we checked her gps and the car is moving fast towards Henderson"

Brass and Sofia were sat in their car listening to the call put out.

Brass grabbed the radio "was CSI Sara Sidle with her?" he asked shouting down the radio

"Only heard one voice" came the reply

"Sara was working he scene with her Grissom told me" Brass explained to Sofia who had started the engine

"Call get their position up on screen their near us" said Sofia pulling away as Brass did what he was told flicking at the satellite system in front of him.

"Wishing we had Greg Sanders I can't work this thing" said Brass angrily talking down the radio and flicking "got it," he added as a beeping light appeared

"Next Street" with that Sofia did a U turn putting the lights on and speeding back down the road.

Sure enough there they were, just in front a patrol car was swerving taking the occasional shot. Brass and Sofia joined the chase behind them.

"What the hell are you doing this is a residential area hold you fire," shouted Brass down the radio.

A black SUV swerved out almost hitting the patrol car. The next thing rapid-fire was heard as shots began to rain down from the SUV that had positioned itself behind the car shooting at Catherine and in front of the patrol car.

"All units urgent assistance required shots fired heading…" Brass began shouting orders down the radio as another patrol car joined the chase.

"I can only see Cath where the hell is Sara?" shouted Sofia swerving to avoid a parked car and bullets.

"Maybe she went back to the lab," suggested Brass

"Or maybe who ever is in that car already took care of her" Sofia mumbled under her breath.

Catherine was panicking something that happened vary rarely. She didn't know what to do, if she stopped they would be shot but she couldn't just drive until they ran out of gas, could she. Some part of her brain told her not to go into a built up area but she could hear Sara in the back stifling gasps and sobs and all she could think was getting her to hospital not that she could get her there while the SUV was still following them.

"Where are they are they still shooting?" asked Sara her breath quick and sharp. Her question was answered as another shot ran out. Then Cath and Sara heard something that made a sense of clam for all of two seconds, sirens. Cath glanced a looking in the mirror a patrol car had just spun behind the SUV following them.

"It's ok Sara it's going to be ok" Cath reassured Sara and herself. "we just need to keep going a bit longer until the police stop them"

"Yer" said Sara with less enthusiasm as Cath turned around and Sara nearly came off the back seat as the glass ripped into her side again and it felt like she was been stabbed.

Catherine felt like she was in a computer game her brain was on automatic swerving across the road making the Tahoe a difficult target and changing direction she was also become aware of other traffic on the road as she was forced to swerve to avoid a red car coming at them. She head Sara cry out as she did but didn't look in the mirror she could face it she knew what she would see Sara laid on the back seat slowly bleeding out.

TBC ………………….. Please review anything is welcome as long as it's not insulting or a large flying object.


	6. Chapter 6

Grissom was sat in the layout team flicking through an entomology text book, in all honesty he was bored something he wasn't usually at work but he had nothing to do except paper work and he was avoiding that. A shuffling from outside alerted him to someone else's presence. Ecklie was stood hovering just outside the door

"Grissom" said Ecklie as he stepped inside in a almost apologetic tone, 'Grissom' Ecklie didn't call him Grissom unless he wanted something. Grissom took his glasses off and rubbed his temples.

"There's been a incident," continued Ecklie. Grissom immediately looked up replacing his glasses those words were the ones he now dreaded. "We're not entirely sure what happened" he started then paused "we think the killer returned to the crime scene Catherine and Sara were working" he was using their first names now this wasn't good. "Catherine's been chased by a SUV there's a patrol car following them and detective Brass is pursuing"

"And Sara?" said Grissom the second Ecklie stopped for breath

"We don't know no one's seen her yet officers are at the scene there's sign of a struggle"

With that Grissom was out his seat and walking by Ecklie "let the others know" said Grissom as he walked out and towards the AV lab.

"Ahead of you" said Archie as Grissom entered. Archie was typing away on the keyboard after listening to Ecklie as had most of the lab techs and were now busying themselves.

"Got Cath's gps she's in Henderson," said Archie as a map appeared on the screen and green dot indicated Cath's Tahoe.

"Call the traffic control centre keep the roads clear for them tell them the sheriff authorised it" said Grissom as he almost walked into Ecklie as he left Archie

"I'll call him now" said Ecklie. Grissom didn't' answer he simply kept walking. Part of his brain was telling him to get in his car and go join in the chase, drive the other car off the road or cars he didn't even know how many there were or what was happening. He picked up his phone and dialled Brass's number. Getting in the rational part of his brain took over he was going to the crime scene to look for any trace of Sara.

"Can you see them yet?" asked Warrick spinning the Tahoe round another corner, his rather fast and slightly racer boy style of driving was coming in handy as they sped around an ally.

"Not yet" answered Greg looking out the window "but I can hear them" he said as wailing sirens filled the car. They were looking for Cath after Ecklie phoned them and told them what happened, they weren't going back to he lab as Ecklie suggested they were going to find Cath and hopefully Sara

"Got them," shouted Warrick speeding out the alley and swerving in behind Sofia and Brass.

"WHAT THE HELL?" shouted Brass as a Tahoe joined the ever-growing parade of vehicles.

"Is that Warrick?" asked Sofia with that Brass grabbed his phone

Greg picked up his ringing phone and found Brass yelling at him "get away"

"Were following the evidence," shouted Warrick pulling back slightly as a round of shots was fired off "if they toss anything we'll get it. Brass were not going," said Warrick firmly.

Brass sighed down the phone "have you heard anything from Grissom he was going to the scene to look for Sara" said Brass knowing arguing was pointless.

"No" replied Greg slinking back in his seat as yet more shots were fired at the two patrol cars in front.

"She's got to be with Cath, she wouldn't leave her" said Greg "unless they didn't' see Sara, Cath would leave her then" said Greg trying his best to make everything all right

"Then Sara would have phoned for help and I can't see Sara watching as some mad men fire at Catherine can you?" asked Brass shouting down the phone above the noise.

"I think I'm trying to hard," sighed Greg

"She's tough she'll be ok, shouted Sofia down the phone she's probably just keeping her head down to avoid getting a bullet in it" everyone agreed but only so they didn't have to ask where she wasn't if she wasn't in the car.

"Ok you can follow but keep back," said Brass putting his phone down and having it ring almost instantly

"Archie?" said Brass slightly confused "thanks" he said after a while flipping his phone down "he's onto traffic control their trying to keep the roads clear with red lights" said Brass

"Well it's working for now," said Sofia having to turn quickly to avoid hitting the back of a patrol car which had spun to avoid a onslaught of bullets

Residents were stood at their windows watching at the approaching chaos. A Tahoe was at the front swerving violently across the road like the driver was drunk, behind it a black SUV with a man hanging out the window waving a gun around firing off every so often. Behind that a blacked out SUV with window's cracked open a bit firing off shots at the two patrol cars sirens blearing behind. The cars were beaten up and looked to be doing a dance routine as they spun around avoiding the shots been fired. Behind that a Turas was speeding along and behind that another Tahoe.

Catherine was gripping the wheel so tight her fingers felt like they were going to fall off, the noise of the sirens and shots made her head vibrate. She was flooring it praying that the car behind would go away there were now two police cars and two other cars following from what she could see. She was in a residential neighbourhood and she knew been here was putting people in danger but she couldn't get out. Now there was another car taking the occasional shot at them and at the police. It was getting harder to try and lose them in addition to this she knew Sara needed to be at hospital not in the middle of the desert. Glancing in the mirror she saw Sara clinging onto the headrest of her seat and bracing herself against the back seat. Her skin was white and stained with blood, her hands red from blood and white form holding on. She'd given up trying to be calm and was now screaming every time Cath turned a corner as she was thrown about causing the glass to cut that bit deeper. Catherine didn't' have a clue where she was going despite the fact she knew this neighbourhood it had all gone she was having trouble even staying on the road at this speed. She still had half a tank of gas left but this couldn't go on for much longer.

Sara was laid bracing herself her body pulsating making her feel sick. Each swerve felt like she was been punched in the stomach. Bile began to rise up her throat and Sara gagged bring up what little breakfast she had onto the floor of the car.

Catherine heard Sara getting sick and knew it wasn't long before shock set in.

"CATH" Sara screamed suddenly as a round of shots went of and there was the noise of smashing glass. Sara threw her hands over her face as the back windscreen shattered sending shards of glass flying throughout the car. Cath felt stinging as some cut the side of her face and back of her neck. That monetary lapse of concentration gone she saw a boy speed out a driveway on his pushbike a paper bag over his shoulder. Screaming Cath spun the wheel sending the car violently to the right. There was a crash as she hit some garbage cans cracking the windshield. She wanted to stop but if she did they were a stationary target even with the police behind they didn't' stand a chance.

**TBC ……………thank you for the reviews please keep them coming I am grateful : )**


	7. Chapter 7

Grissom pulled up to the house, there were two patrol cars pulled up outside. He scanned the outside as he got out taking his kit with him. He saw skid marks pulling out and another set going across the road. She was been chased when she set off. He saw some drag marks that looked like feet, like someone had dragged a body across there. He took a breath and approached the officers.

"Got three officers searching the surrounding area," he said simply waiting for Grissom to go buy him.

Slowly Grissom entered inside making his way through the bits of plastic and wires hanging down. He took a quick breath seeing the scene in front of him. David was stood amongst the debris.

"This is the victims blood, that wasn't here last time," said David apologetically pointing towards a smaller pool of blood and bits of splatter concentrated on the left side off he room. "Those doors weren't broken either," said David "do you need anything else, I'm backed up got three bodies waiting?"

"No David, thank you," said Grissom as David walked by. On the floor just to the right of him was a kit putting on his gloves he went over to it and cracked it open. "Catherine" he almost whispered. He stood up taking in the whole room trying to work out what happened. He then saw a baseball hat on the floor he picked it up and examined it. It was amongst blood splatter on the floor and doorframe, whoever's hat this was had come off when their head hit the door frame possibly shattering the door going by all the glass under his feet. He turned the hat around in his hand and noticed a small white patch on the back, it was Sara's from when she had got too close to one of his experiments not backed off quickly enough and got some chemicals on it, Grissom had told her she should be happy it didn't touch her skin she would have had a bit of skin dyed blue for weeks. He stood like a statue stood figuring it out in his head. It had been Sara who hit the doors probably her head there was a small pool of blood amongst the glass and drag marks outside, they could easily be from her body. But that left more questions where was Catherine while all this happened and why didn't they shot him. There was more blood splatter slightly away from the doors walking over to it he noticed something down a hole in one of the floor boards there was a gun, a police issue gun, that was why they didn't shot. He guessed it was Catherine's the smaller splatter of blood was away from the other next to her kit it. Someone had fired a gun in the course of the struggle there was a bullet hole in the floor between the two pools of blood and scratch marks going away. He followed the scuffs in the floor to find another gun wedged behind a bit off wood, they must have been attacked separately if it was only one man or the other would have shot him, unless it was two attackers. Whatever it was Sara wasn't here now. He stepped outside pulling himself away. He looked down there was an abundance of footprints and just to his right a bit away from the house was Sara's kit propped up open against a old bath tub. If she was processing outside and Cath inside then it may have only been one man, although according to Brass on car had two men and the other several. Cath was attacked first disarmed then Sara went inside and was taken by surprise thrown against the door probably losing her gun. He bent down and picked up the small specimen jar on the bath it contained a beetle he wasn't sure what type and smiled, Sara wasn't collecting it for evidence she was collecting hit for him. He needed to find her. He stood up taking it; she was hurt Catherine was hurt. They knew they needed to get away Cath wouldn't leave Sara if she was hurt just as much as Sara wouldn't' leave Cath. That's what the drag marks were, there were deep foot impressions next to them, Grissom bent down they were small a six at most probably female, Cath must have been dragging Sara that meant Sara was still with her, perhaps unconscious in the car.

Sofia, Brass, Warrick and Greg watched helplessly as Cath just avoided a small boy who dived off his bike they watched at trash cans smashed into her car and flew down form the roof

The SUV behind Cath's Tahoe spun violently as the trashcans rolled of the Tahoe banging into the side as it carried off after Catherine. The SUV behind that didn't manage to avoid the chaos and spun round ending almost sideways across the road. The patrol car behind reacted quickly and spun avoiding it. Sofia reacted just as fast and tuned the opposite way almost hitting the SUV that was sideways on.

"MOVE" shouted Brass as a shot was fired breaking the back window as the SUV reversed away and spun back round. As it did Warrick and Greg got to close to the action. Warrick turned so fast he spun the car sideways hitting the SUV as it reversed. Greg look horrified as he saw the SUV turn to face them running into the back of a patrol car as it did. Warrick hit the gas in reverse as he did there was a bang and the next thing his Tahoe was spinning out of control before crashing into a tree.

"Are they ok?" questioned Sofia as the tyre in warrick's Tahoe was shot out causing the car to crash into a tree.

"GO," shouted Brass at Sofia as the chase pulled away again, he picked up hit phone looking over his shoulder at warrick's car that's hood was now crumpled against a tree. He would have stayed but he saw Greg move "ambulance required," said Brass down the phone

Greg slowly moved his aching head

"You ok man?" asked Warrick holding his hands at a funny angle

"I'm alive," replied Greg gently touching his head and withdrawing when it stung to show fresh blood on his hand.

"The doors stuck," said Warrick kicking it still holding his hands strange

"You ok?" asked Greg finding his door opened ok and shakily getting out.

"Feels like a busted my fingers," said Warrick showing his slightly swollen hands to Greg as he clambered across the seats and out the car. The sound of sirens was approaching them

"Are they coming back?" said Greg looking around slightly panicked that the group may be coming back and they had little protection but instead an ambulance came into view.

"YES," shouted Dan waving his arms as he happily spun the SUV round "one down" he cried hitting lee whose head was still hanging out he window. "You're bleeding what the hell you done?" he asked seeing blood tricking down Lee's right arm as he reload his gun

"Stabbed the women didn't I" replied lee

"What the hell with?" asked Dan winding the window down and shouting at the SUV behind them

"GO BOYS TAKE THE OTHERS OUT JAZZ" he called waving his arm at the SUV behind which honked in response.

"Stabbed with a bit of glass"

"Smart" replied Dan "now they got your blood everywhere" he said looking angry "we got Jazz involved now"

"You said he owed us a favour" interrupted Lee

"He did but he's going to be happy when he finds out hey can trace this to us he's still connected to us him and Sam, I think that might be some encouragement to take this pigs out" he smiled picking up his phone.

TBC ……………………please let me know what you think…thank you 


	8. Chapter 8

Grissom was had just set off from the crime scene he didn't know where he was driving to or why. His phone broke his concentration.

"Hello" he answered slightly stunned when a familiar voice replied

"Grissom you need to go to desert palms" said Brass

"Why? Are Catherine and Sara ok?"

"I'm not sure about that but Warrick and Greg aren't there car spun out into a tree I phoned the hospital only minor injuries"

"What were they doing?" yelled Grissom slightly angry with them also with himself because he realised that was where he was going to join in, to try and stop the people chasing Cath and Sara.

"Did you say Sara?" asked Brass ignoring Grissom's question

"I believe she's with Catherine, probably hurt and bleeding there was drag marks and blood drops to a car"

"How do we know they haven't' got Sara?"

"If they had Sara they would use her as a bargaining tool not chase them"

"They don't' seem to be too big on the brains" replied Brass as Grissom hung up on him

"He hung up on me," said Brass turning to Sofia looking shocked.

Grissom walked into the hospital and up to the reception desk, it only took a flash of his badge to get people moving and he was taken into a curtained area where Warrick and Greg were sat perched on gurneys opposite each other.

"Hey" said Warrick his tone almost apologetic "we just wanted…"

Grissom interrupted him outing a hand up "I know" he said simply "how are you both?" he asked looking at Greg who had a large bruise forming on his head and a couple of butterfly stitches standing out white against the red and purple.

"Minor concussion" said Greg not taking his eyes from the floor

"Torn ligaments in my fingers," said Warrick looking at his hands that were both strapped up.

"From holding onto the steering wheel during impact" said Grissom absent-minded the CSI taking over.

"Grissom we didn't mean for this to happen we just wanted to be there, help" said Greg looking up and meeting his supervisors gaze.

"Greg it's ok you were concerned for you friends"

"Yer but we didn't' help all we did was get ourselves injured I know Catherine and Sara would behaving a go now, saying how putting ourselves in danger wasn't helping them. You did help you went to the scene. Have you found Sara" asked Greg suddenly as if this only just occurred to him

"From what I can tell she's with Catherine and Greg, I was on my way to find them when Brass called me" said Grissom

Greg was silenced he thought of Grissom as the calm rational one, going diving in head first, maybe he was just saying it to make them feel better but there was something in this eyes that told him he wasn't

"I can go once the doctors done rounds" said Greg

"We might as well stay here Catherine and Sara will be coming here once Brass stops those guys," said Grissom with a tone Warrick had never heard before, he sounded scared.

"Where's Nick?" asked Grissom after a moment

"I don't know?" replied Greg "Ecklie probably phoned him as well should we let him where we are?"

"No need he's probably doing something stupid right now" sighed Warrick "if we went then Nick's going"

Nick slammed his phone lid back down and stormed over to his car.

"Not enough for a warrant" he said out loud seething as he got in the drivers seat he was just about to set off when his phone rang.

"Hello"

"Stokes"

Nick was taken back when Ecklie's voice drifted down his phone "There's been a incident"

"What?" interrupted Nick

"I'm not sure of the details from what I know the suspects came back to the scene Willow's and Sidle were working"

"Are they ok?" interrupted Nick again

"I don't know Catherine's taking fire there's some sort of chase, were not sure where Sara is"

Nick hung up on him then and dialled a different number

"Hey" it was Archie's voice now

"Archie man what's happening?"

"What do you know?" asked Archie clearly occupied with something else

"Some one's chasing Catherine"

"That's about as much as I know, there's two patrols cars, detective's Brass and Curtis are following as well there still in Henderson….Nick…Nick" said Archie as Nick hung up leaving a shrill tone on the phone.

Nick was speeding and he didn't' car he didn't' even know where he was going or why, he knew if got his hands on the people chasing Catherine he'd be the one been arrested. In the back of his mind the question kept coming back, 'where was Sara?' he daren't think about that, he just had flashing images of her in box like he had been.

He snapped out from this image by siren, close sirens. He was still speeding now in Henderson the sirens were close but he couldn't make out where, as he approached a cross roads he realised too late. A Tahoe sped in front of him closely followed by a SUV that was heading directly towards him. They had misjudged Catherine's direction and thought she was turning. They were now swerving to get back on track. The back of the SUV was coming at Nick as they swung around to stay on course. Nick turned just missing the SUV unfortunately he didn't miss the fence in front of him. he crash through the wooden fence slamming on the brakes too late as a large branch punctured the windshield raining lass down on him he slammed on the brakes. His Tahoe now impaled on the tree Nick slammed his left hand down on the dashboard in frustration sending small bits of glass into his skin.

Cath was staring forwards she couldn't look back she could hear Sara screaming she could hear her beg to stop.

"Sara no if we stop then they shot you" shouted Catherine knowing Sara wasn't going to listen she was in too much pain

"GOOD" cried Sara getting thrown about by the bumps on the road. Cath was now driving away from the houses back out towards the desert. If the could get there they had a better chance because Sara was right they needed to stop. Cath glanced back, they needed to stop soon. Sara's entire top was red and the back seat had blood drying on it, the glass was barely stopping the flow now and Sara seemed to behaving trouble staying conscious. Cath was trying to judge how much blood she's lost, enough. She then began swerving violently from side to side on the empty road, she guessed they'd got people out the way. If she could maybe lose them for a second then they could stop the police weren't that far behind and she could swear she saw Brass when she turned a corner following with Sofia.

TBC ………..

A/N thanks for the review's sorry about the wait ill try to be quicker 


	9. Chapter 9

Nick wondered slowly up to the hospital front a shirt wrapped around his bleeding hand, he had called a taxi to get him there he wasn't ready to call Grissom yet. He was still angry with himself that he did something so stupid, he didn't even know what he was going to do all he did was put other people in danger, calling Grissom and getting everyone worried about him wasn't going to help Catherine or find Sara. Her face scared trapped under dirty plastic flashed up as he walked inside. As the image dissipated he was surprised to see three familiar faces sat in chairs in the main reception

"Guys" Nick approached them slowly. Warrick was sat both his hands bandaged and Greg was sporting a rather large bruise on his head, while Grissom still seemed in tact.

"Went after them?" said Warrick, Nick not too sure if this was a statement or a question nodded.

"Great minds think alike" he said lifting his hands slightly then looked at Greg "fools never differ" he added looking down at his hands.

"What are you still doing here? Should we be doing something looking for Sara" asked Nick angry at how they could just sit there

"As far as I can tell she's with Catherine" said Grissom talking for the first time

"Good" replied Nick as the image of her trapped left his mind but was replaced with her and Cath been shot "not good" he corrected himself

"And as far as I can tell were as helpless as her and Catherine, we can't do anything" said Grissom slightly surprising everyone he looked slightly broken sat in the plastic chair. Nick wondered how he looked when he was missing at least then he had something to do some way to believe he was helping now he had nothing all they could do was wait. Nick took a chair at the side of Grissom and the four men sat in silence.

Sara felt numb her legs felt numb. The rest of her body hurt. She felt sick again and began coughing. Only this time she tasted iron in her throat. Turning her head to the side Sara retched and red dripped down from her lip. Catherine turned her head in time to Sara vomit bright red blood onto the car seat.

"OH GOD" Cath was in a complete panic as Sara fell backwards her breathing shallow and laboured. It took a second to register what was going on in Sara's head

"Oh crap" Sara mumbled.

Catherine had taken her eyes of the road for too long she turned back in time to see a wall. Swearving she spun the car left and straight into the wall opposite crunching the front of the car and coming to a standstill.

The car flowing swerved as Cath's car connected with the wall it mounted the sidewalk and hit a post at the middle point bending the car and threatening to break it in two. The car behind was quicker and swerved off still been followed by a patrol car.

"NO" Sofia screamed as she saw what was happening. She watched helplessly as Catherine drove towards the wall. She shouted at her to turn knowing it was no use and watched as the car spun only to connect wit the other wall with a sickening thud. Everything seemed to go slow motion as the front of the car crumpled and bounced back slightly. Brass had his eyes trained on the car and was out the passenger door gun drawn before Sofia had even pulled the car to a standstill

"Get down on the floor" came the shouts of the police behind their doors guns drawn. Slowly two officers approached the car as lee stumbled from it disorientated.

"ON THE FLOOR" shouted a voice as he dropped down two officers ran over handcuffing him while another pulled Dan from the car and pushed him to floor.

Sofia was out seconds behind Brass

"CLEAR" the seconds that was called Sofia and Brass were running full pelt to Catherine Tahoe that was a crumpled heap between the wall and the SUV.

**TBC ………..**

Thank you for the review the next part will be longer 


	10. Chapter 10

Slowly the world came back into Catherine's head painfully bright and noisy.

"Sara" where was she? Painfully Cath moved her hand from the steering wheel defiantly broken. Turing she saw Sara crumpled on the floor between the front seats and back bent double.

"NO Sara" Cath didn't realised she was screaming, hot tears ran down her face and she crawled across grabbing Sara and pulling her onto the back seat. Sara's right arm moved floppily as Cath grabbed it pulling Sara up. The glass was gone from her stomach instead blood was oozing out.

"Sara, Sara" cried Cath shaking her as Sara's eye made an attempt to open.

This wasn't how the day was supposed to end not like this, it was supposed to end with a party not the way it was going, not with a funeral. Catherine clung tightly on as the red liquid pooled through her fingers running over her hands. Her breathing was fast and shallow, sweet lined her forehead and her whole body seemed to ache especially her jaw.

"No Sara please," pleaded Cath slightly hysterical slowly Sara's eyes lifted open as if they were been weighed down. Sara attempted to mumble something but it was incoherent.

Brass was running full pelt towards Cath's car with Sofia inches behind

"Why hasn't she come out?" shouted Brass fearing the worst as he reached the tangled wreckage

"Oh god" peering through the window Brass saw Catherine bent over Sara

"Brass get Cath out," shouted Sofia flinging the door open and crawling in.

"Cath you need to move" said Sofia firmly pulling Cath's hands away from Sara. Cath was helpless as Brass pulled her away from Sara and to the drivers seat holding her by her arms to stop her lunging back in.

"Come on Sara" Sofia now pleaded with her taking mental notes of all her injuries. She grabbed her right hand and began feeling for a pulse

"Barely" muttered Sofia taking her black coat off and pressing it against the hole in Sara's abdomen. There was a slight moan of protest from Sara, as the fabric was pressed hard against her.

Brass was attempting to tend to Catherine who was putting up a fight. He'd managed to get pads from a first aid kit an officer had brought him pressed to her split chin but she kept moving making it difficult for him to tape them in place

"Cath stay still Sofia's helping her ok" Brass said managing to get Cath to face him long enough for him to tape the pad to her chin.

"Sara stay with me" instructed Sofia tapping her check as her eyes drifted shut then snapped back open

"Hiding in the back we thought you'd gone back to the lab" said Sofia laughing slightly with nerves "Brass thought you were dead I told him you were tough but he was getting his funeral suit dry cleaned so you better stay awake and prove me right Sidle" said Sofia swearing Sara's mouth twitched towards a smile as it did she felt skin against her hand as Sara's fingers traced along the edge.

"Come on Sara you know I can't afford to have it dry cleaned on what the state pays me" sad Brass now attempting a makeshift splint on Cath's wrist

"Come on someone needs to yell at Ecklie about this" said Cath pulling away from Brass and hissing as pain shot through her arm.

"Tell Ecklie…I…Want a pay………. rise" muttered Sara just loud enough for them to hear before her eyes closed.

"Sara" shouted Cath attempting to dive at her but Brass was pulling her from the car as paramedics came running over.

Catherine was sat on the gurney wide eyed staring gout into the activity in the hallway.

"Warrick I need to know" pleaded Cath her eye's filing with tears again. Her left arm was now in a plaster cast her chin had a couple of butterfly stitches in it and moving was becoming painful due to the two broken ribs.

"Cath we're concentrating on you now" said Warrick gently touching her arm

"SHE WAS DYING" screamed Cath as Brass walked into the curtained area.

"Cath, Catherine calm down" Warrick was now stood in front of her hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Nick's gone to pick Lindsey up she wanted to see you" Brass said

"Please I need to know, I'll go see myself," said Cath tying to get up as Brass held a hand up

"I'll go see if anything's changed," said Brass leaving Warrick trying to clam Catherine again.

Grissom was stood watching through the window into the trauma room he'd been forcefully escorted out by the nurse. Greg Sanders had been left with him neither one knew what to do as they watched them work on Sara. Greg had noticed how Grissom took her hand as they wheeled her in how he called her honey but now was not the time to question. They had watched as she was intubated her watched a her blood dripped onto the floor as the shouting became frantic and now as alarms rang out.

Greg Sanders then showed the wisdom and compassion beyond his years he simply placed a hand on Grissom's shoulder. Grissom didn't' look at the younger man but put a hand on his, no words were needed because they knew how important Sara was to all of them.

"Hey what's going on?" asked Brass his tact seeming to have left as he approached the two.

Greg pulled away "were waiting," he said as suddenly the doors were flung open and a nurse practically pushed them out the way

"She needs to go to surgery" she said as Sara was wheeled out

"Can I go with her?" asked Grissom

"Relation?" asked the doctor

"Boyfriend" said Grissom the doctor nodded and Grissom followed the frail person laid on the gurney. She was so pale, tubes going in all over her body and her skin blood stained. Grissom had hold of the side a machine beeping in his ear as her squeezed into the lift with the two nurses. There was a moment of clam where he was able to take in the full damage. A blood soaked dressing went across her abdomen, a pad stuck onto her head with a hint of blood creeping form underneath. A tube stuck into her mouth breathing for her, for a second Grissom thought what Sara would say if they couldn't take it out he didn't know why that thought occurred but it did he knew what she would say 'no'. Bruising was becoming obvious on her right arm that was badly swollen. Her left arm had three wires and tubes coming off it, wires went onto her chest. Her face had been haphazardly cleaned but dried blood stayed around the edge of her nose and mouth with some wiped traces on her chin. Her legs were strapped into supports waiting to be set in plaster but the main focus was her blood loss. A bag stood feeding the red liquid into her thin frame.

"She's still bleeding internally so we need to stop that before we concentrate on the rest of her injuries" Grissom was hardly aware he had stepped out the lift and was been talked to by the doctor again "you can go to the waiting room this nurse will take you" he said as Sara was wheeled out of Grissom's view ad he was escorted away.

**TBC …………. Only one more chapter left……..**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N this is for everyone who reviewed thank you for encouraging me 

Warrick had managed to clam Catherine down slightly also the pain medication she had been given seemed to have mellowed her slightly.

"Brass" shouted Cath proving they hadn't done that much as the curtain twitched and Brass appeared "they've taken her up to surgery" said Brass

"Surgery is that good? Why would she need surgery?" Cath rattled off her brain not functioning at its usual capability

"She's bleeding internally they need to stop it before they can deal with her other injuries" said Brass having talked to a doctor down stairs while flashing his badge

"Internal bleeding" Cath's eyes went wide and tears threatened to spill again "it's my fault I tried to get here but I couldn't' lose them"

"No" Brass interrupted sternly "the only people's fault this is are those following you who we have in lock up and who Sofia is taking great pleasure in interrogating right now" said Brass

"How did she look?" asked Cath wanting some reassurance

"They were working on her Cath, no one can look good with all those tubes, believe me" he said with an attempt at a smile. Brass paused for a minute "am I the only one out the loop on the Grissom Sara thing?" he added

"What thing?" asked Cath looking confused "the her liking him thing, the him been too… I don't know stupid to do anything about it?"

"He's done something about it," said Greg appearing in the now rather crammed cubical "that or he just lied to the doctor about been her boyfriend"

"So I wasn't the only one out the loop," said Brass sounding somewhat happy

"Where is he?" asked Catherine after a minute before her question could be answered Lindsey ran into the cubical pulling her mother into a hung.

"Hey" said Cath through gritted teeth as Lindsey bumped against her broken ribs "Linds I'm ok" she said as Lindsey pulled away and Nick packed into the curtained area

"What about Sara is she ok? Nick told me what happened," explained Lindsey

"She will be" replied Cath not wanting to go into details "have you had anything to eat" she asked Lindsey who shuck her head "there's a cafeteria down the hall why don't' you go get something to eat while we go check on Sara then we can go since I've had my discharge papers signed" she said smiling at her daughter "we'll get some cake on the way home. I'm sorry about your party," she added as Lindsey smiled

"It's cool. Did you see what I got form everyone? A dvd payer" she smiled leaving

"So you waited for me before you opened the presents" Cath shouted after her.

"What's going on?" asked Nick once Lindsey had left

"Sara' in surgery" Brass answered "Grissom went up with her"

"He shouldn't be alone," said Cath getting up and realising how sore her entire body was

"He shouldn't?" asked Nick as the group followed Brass leading the way

"Grissom, Sara more than just work colleagues. Come on Nick get with the program" said Brass as Nick looked around confused

"It's the first we've heard of it," said Cath patting Nick on the shoulder

"Well I knew something was up," said Warrick as they crammed into a lift

"You didn't know," said Greg eyeing him up

"Well he brought her a burger"

"That's you knowing? A burger"

"No and they touched"

"Touched are we talking rated R here" asked Cath

"No, he touched her waist when they were doing this experiment it was more than friendly touch"

"And you didn't say why?"

"It's there business," replied Warrick as they pilled out the lift

"You know maybe it would be better if just one of us went I" said Brass looking at Catherine

"You're his friend, his oldest friend"

"Less of the old. You're a women and better at these thing we'll go check on Lindsey see if we can make her birthday a bit better" said Brass shoving everyone back into the lift.

"We'll be back soon to see how Sara is" shouted Greg as the lift doors closed.

Slowly Catherine opened the door to the family room. Grissom was sat straight staring at a painting on the opposite wall his gaze quickly fixed to Cath as she entered.

"How are you?" asked Grissom taking in her appearance. A bruise on the bottom of her chin with a couple of stitches her left arm was in a sling and she was moving tentatively.

"I'm ok. How's Sara doing?" the room went silent for a minute before Grissom spoke

"I don't know" he sighed. There was another moment of silence before Grissom took a sharp intake of breath and let go of everything. Catherine was quite shocked she had known Grissom a long time but she had never known him to cry. Tears were running down his face and he didn't care enough to hide them. Cath took the seat next to Grissom and took his hand resting on his knee and simply sat like that until the tears subsided.

It seemed like forever since Sara had been taken to surgery, everyone had come up from downstairs including Lindsey who had fallen asleep laid on the chairs.

"Mr Grissom" the doctor's voice broke through the room and for some reason everyone stood up.

"How is she?" asked Grissom stepping forwards.

"As you know she lost a lot of blood" Grissom subconsciously clenched his fist, it sounded like a 'I'm sorry but we were unable to save her' speech

"We managed to stop the bleeding but do to the amount of trauma to her body we have put her into a coma"

"Put her in a coma?" asked Nick

"Just to give her body chance to heal. She'll probably only have to b init about a week then we'll gradually bring her out of it"

"Can we see her?" asked Grissom

"She's in the ICU so only a quick visit" he said pointing to a nurse he added "Louise will take you"

"Lindsey" Cath shuck Lindsey shoulders so she woke up "I'm going to see Sara I'll be back in a minute" Lindsey nodded sleepily.

The group were led down the corridor and into a lift then along another corridor leaving Greg to wonder if they could ever find their way back. The ICU wasn't a welcoming place, they were all made to wash their hands and put on aprons to reduce the chance of infection then led into something assembling a space movie. The walls were white and cold; everything was open plan allowing them to see the five other people lay in there. At the far right corner was Sara. Catherine didn't realise she was crying until Warrick put an arm around her shoulder. Sara was so small compared to the bed a tube going into her mouth breathing for her with a steady thump of the pump. Her head had a large dressing on it making her face look paler than it was. She looked so fragile and broken laying there, drips and monitors going into her body under the blanket laid across her covering all her other injuries.

"Get some rest girl" Warrick was the first to speak he gently touched the blanket going over her feet then turned out an arm round Catherine who was almost sobbing and led her away.

"You don't need this much beauty sleep, we'll come back soon" said Greg following Warrick and Catherine out.

"Gil" it wasn't often Nick Stokes used his first name but this was one of those times

"I'll be down soon" replied Grissom not taking his eyes off Sara, Nick nodded and left Grissom alone.

Twelve days later 

Two days ago they had weaned Sara of the drugs keeping her asleep now they were just waiting. She had been taken off the ventilator two days when the paralytics wore off and she began breathing again, the nurse had found it funny that the entire team held their breath while they waited for Sara to start breathing. It was five in the afternoon and the group were gathered around Sara's bed as they always were before shift. Catherine had almost claimed the chair next to the window where she sat her good arm resting on Sara's bed. Grissom sat in the chair on the other side holding Sara's hand gently in his own. Greg and Warrick usually milled around the end of the bed while Nick had taken to pacing the ward madly after they were told she could wake up at any time, almost is if he was trying not to wait going with the saying a watched pot never boils. Whatever it was it worked because her hand twitched in Grissom's and he nearly shot through the roof shouting for a nurse as Sara eyes slowly prised themselves apart.

"Sara your ok honey" Grissom reassured as she cam round, disorientated uncomfortable and fairly certain someone was holding her hand.

After the initial chaos everything had calmed down now everyone was sat again including Sara who as propped up on a pile of pillows.

Sara was having trouble using her body at the moment not which it was surprising. Her right arm was in an almost full cast sat at ninety degrees and hung in a sling. Breathing was laboured because of her broken ribs and the hole in her abdomen that she felt with very small movement. Her face wasn't as swollen as it was when she first came in but the bruises now shone out under her stitches in her forehead and her lip was still slightly swollen. Both her legs were in casts up to her knee's weighing her down to the bed. She had been told by the doctor what exactly her injuries were but she was still fairly out of it and was still taking in the fact it was almost a week after the last event she remembered, screaming at Catherine to stop.

"Everyone's here" said Sara speaking coherently for he first time

"Your lucky you didn't' wakeup five minutes earlier we only just got here, wouldn't' have been nearly as impressive" smiled Catherine squeezing Sara's shoulder

"Impressing cast," said Sara nodding at Catherine's plaster cast that had been scrawled on by everyone after she fell asleep in the lab. "Thanks"

"I should be saying that to you, it could have been me lying there if you didn't stop him" there was a moment of silence as Cath and Sara just looked at each other

"We would have been here all the time but he nurses made us leave" smiled Greg "they aid Grissom was starting to smell" Sara smiled looking over at Grissom who still held her hand "you've been here a lot?"

Grissom didn't answer but simply smiled

"So I guess everyone knows"

"You Miss Sidle are the only thing that can break my calm resolve," said Grissom leaning down and kissing her to a background of sound effects from the team

"Thank you" said Grissom sitting back up.

"You probably want some rest" said Cath giving Greg such a glare he shot up from his seat "we'll come back after shift and we'll tell Ecklie you wont be in" she added nodding at Grissom who gave a slight nod as a thank you. The team filtered out leaving Sara and Grissom alone.

"You scared me," said Grissom looking upset

"I scared myself" smiled Sara "but I'm not ready to say goodbye" she added holding her arm up weakly indicating she wanted a hug

"I'm not either" said Grissom hugging her gently.

The next morning Grissom was woken from his slumber in the chair next to Sara's bed by a commotion outside. Sara was already awake now changed into a pair of shorts and white tank top rather than the gown. She was smiling as Warrick came into the room holding a cake followed by Greg with balloons. Then came Lindsey holding a bunch of flowers and an arm linked with Cath's. Nick was last to enter with a wheelchair

"You know I don't think you're supposed to take them," said Sara smiling

"I talked to the nurse you can go out for a ride and as we didn't have Lindsey's party we thought we'd have one here" explained Nick

"It was Lindsey's idea," said Cath proudly showing off her daughter

"It's brilliant idea" smiled Sara "happy birthday for last week"

"Come on I'll push you really fast" said Greg pulling the chair onto two wheels

"No" said Grissom sternly as the others laughed

"Protective isn't he" smiled Cath as Lindsey wondered what she was missing.

"Come on" with that Grissom wrapped his arms under Sara and lifter her from the bed into the wheelchair taking the blanket with him. Grissom the took her drips and hung them on the back while Sara sorted then out so they weren't tangled in her arms.

"Oh man your making us look bad" smiled Warrick as Sara positioned her blanket over her legs.

"Can I push?" asked Lindsey already grabbing the chair and wheeling Sara away

"Hey a little help she might drive like her mother," shouted Sara as she was wheeled away by Lindsey who had broken out at a run down the corridor

"Hey" shouted Cath jogging after then

"Be careful" called Grissom breaking into a fast walk

"I'll beat you all there" cried Greg running down the corridor faster than everyone

"When did everyone become weird?" Warrick asked Nick

"It's Vegas but they left us with the cake" he smiled

"Oh their not weird their stupid" smiled Warrick sticking his finger in it and licking of the icing

**THE END**

**Ok that was long and I have a problem with endings so let me know what you think. Thanks for reading**


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